Transatlantic Slave Trade

The Transatlantic Slave Trade Definition

The Transatlantic Slave Trade was the leg of the Triangular Trade that went across the Atlantic Ocean from Africa to the Americas. In the Triangular Trade, Europeans traded manufactured goods (e.g. guns, cotton textiles, and rum) for enslaved persons in Africa. Then, Europeans brought these enslaved Africans across the Middle Passage to sell in the Americas. African slave labor provided the Americas with raw materials (e.g. sugar, tobacco and cotton) that they could sell to the Europeans. Europeans used these raw materials to process manufactured goods. And, so, the cycle begins again.

Fig. 1 - map of the Triangular Trade

The Transatlantic Slave Trade Timeline

The Transatlantic Slave trade began with the Portuguese as early as the 15th century. Spain and Portugal had already been enslaving indigenous peoples in the Americas for labor, but they came to realize that they needed a new source of labor. This is for several reasons, but disease played the largest role, as it could wipe out entire populations of indigenous peoples susceptible to foreign-brought disease. Europeans believed that African labor would be better because Africans were less susceptible to disease, accustomed to the tropics, experienced with agriculture, and less likely to escape because of their unfamiliarity with the land. And, so, Portugal and Spain turned to Africa, where the slave trade had existed for centuries.

The Transatlantic Slave Trade Timeline: The Expansion of the Transatlantic Slave Trade

The Transatlantic Slave Trade proved extremely profitable to Europeans, as they were able to control the entire trade network. After Portugal and Spain established the Transatlantic Slave Trade, other European powers such as the British, French and Dutch quickly became involved. Proponents of mercantilism, European powers worked to ensure their exports exceeded their imports, so that they maximized their profit. They often got into conflict with other countries over who controlled certain trade routes. It was in the 17th and 18th centuries that the slave trade really peaked.

The Transatlantic Slave Trade Timeline: The End of the Transatlantic Slave Trade

In the early 19th century, the Transatlantic Slave Trade began to fall apart. The British had abolished the slave trade in 1807 and America quickly followed suit just one year later in 1808. However, the trade continued in other parts of the Americas, such as the Caribbean and Brazil, and its continued existence contributed to the formation of a thriving black market. By the late 19th century, however, slavery had become illegal across the Americas and the black market fell apart.

The Transatlantic Slave Trade Route

The first route in the Transatlantic Slave Trade went from the interior of Africa to West African port cities. In order to keep up with the increased demand for slaves, African traders went deep into Africa, where they conquered tribes in order to enslave them. The overland journey back was treacherous and often hundreds of miles long. Chained together, the enslaved Africans faced death before they even reached the coast. Once there, traders held them in castle-like prisons, awaiting dehumanizing auctions.

Fig. 2 - depiction of castles on the West Coast of Africa where European held enslaved Africans

The Transatlantic Slave Trade Route: The Middle Passage

The Middle Passage is infamous for the horrific conditions Africans faced on their journey. They spent their days and nights chained below the deck in extremely cramped conditions. Without ventilation, the heat was unbearable, and disease spread rapidly. Many died of starvation and disease. Others took their own lives or died in failed revolts. Physical and sexual abuse were both common. Any care they received was due to the crew’s desires to make them presentable for auction. Olaudah Equiano described the experience in his autobiography:

Fig. 3 - diagram of a typical slave ship

The Transatlantic Slave Trade Route: Arrival in the Americas

After several months at sea, European ships carrying enslaved Africans arrived at port cities in the Americas. Once again, they had to endure slave auctions that involved dehumanizing inspections before slaveholders bought them as if they were property.

The Transatlantic Slave Trade: Facts and Impact

Millions of Africans lost their lives while traveling along the Transatlantic Slave Trade routes. And those that survived were subject to a life of slavery in the Americas, as were generations of their descendants. It was the largest forced migration to have occurred in history and the most significant cause of the African diaspora, as millions of Africans ended up across the Atlantic in the Americas. It is important to understand that the Africans brought to the Americas did not share a unified culture–they were from a variety of societies with their own languages and cultures. This diversity contributed to the rich culture of African Americans.

Fig. 4 - map depicting destinations of enslaved Africans